[2pac talking] take a ride to my block (my block).. that’s right.. rest in peace to all the motherf-ckers that past away makaveli in this.. thats how you do that sh-t..

[verse 1] they got a n-gg- shedding tears, reminiscing on my past fears cause sh-t was hectic for me last year it appears that i’ve been marked for death, my heartless breath the underlying cause of my arrest, my life is stressed and no rest forever weary, my eyes stay teary for all the brothers that are buried in the cemetery sh-t is scary, how black on black crime legendary but at times unnecessary, i’m getting worried teardrops and closed caskets, the three strikes law is drastic and certain death for us ghetto b-st-rds what can we do when we’re arrested, but open fire life in the pen ain’t for me, cause i’d rather die but don’t cry through your despair i wonder if the lord still cares, for us n-gg-s on welfare and who cares if we survive the only time they notice a n-gg- is when he’s clutching on a 4.5

[chorus x2] they tell us that we hopeless and h-ll bound this for the brothers in penetentiaries jailed down homies in every city definition of power its a thugs wrath. can you feel me now?

[verse 2] now sh-t’s constantly hot, on my block, it never fails to be gunshots can’t explain a mother’s pain, when her son drops black males living h-ll when will we prevail fearing jail but crack sales got me living well and the system’s suicidal with this thug’s life staying strapped forever trapped in this drug life god help me, cause i’m starving, can’t get a job so i resort to violent robberies, my life is hard can’t sleep cause all the dirt make my heart hurt put in work and shed tears for my dead peers mislead from childhood where i went astray till this day i still pray for a better way can’t help but feel hopeless and heartbroke from the start i felt the racism cause i’m dark couldn’t quit the bullsh-t make me represent hit the bar and played the star, everywhere i went

[chorus x2] they tell us that we hopeless and h-ll bound this fo the brothers in penetentiaries jailed down homies in every city definition of power its a thugs wrath. can you feel me now?

[verse 3] and i can’t help but wonder why, so many young kids had to die caught strays from ak’s and the driveby swollen pride and homicide, don’t coincide brothers cry for broken lives, mama come inside cause our block is filled with danger used to be a close knit community but now we’re all cold strangers time changes us to stone them crack pipes all up and down the block exterminating black life but i can’t blame the dealers my mama’s welfare check has brought the next man chrome wheels sh-t’s real, i know ya feel, my tragedy a single mother with a problem child, daddy free hanging out picking up game, sipping cheap liquor gamin the hoochies hoping i can get to sleep with her it’s a man’s world, staying strapped fantasies of a n-gg- living phat, but held back

[chorus x2] they tell us that we hopeless and h-ll bound this fo the brothers in penetentiaries jailed down homies in every city definition of power its a thugs wrath. can you feel me now?